1954 Map of Dunkirk

About this map

Dunkirk Harbor and the city of Dunkirk stand as a major industrial and transit hub along the Lake Erie shoreline in the mid-1950s. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of rail lines, including the Pennsylvania RR, Erie RR, and New York Central RR, which converge near the waterfront and the Dunkirk Municipal Airport. To the south, the State University Teachers College anchors the village of Fredonia, while the New York State Thruway is shown under construction, signaling a shift in regional transportation. Beyond the urban centers, the terrain rises into the hills of Pomfret and Arkwright, where Canadaway Creek carves through the landscape toward Shumla Falls and Arkwright Falls. Smaller settlements like Laona and Cordova are interconnected by early rural routes such as Straight Rd and Webster Road.